From WO 96/23711 a device for packaging tampons is known. From a strip-like packaging sheet a tube is formed around a mandrel and the two edges of the sheet are sealed with a longitudinal sealing seam. The tube is then separated into individual pieces. The tube pieces are sealed at one end with a transverse sealing seam. The tampons are then placed in the tube pieces and the second end is sealed with a further transverse sealing seam.
Alternatively, bag forming, filling and sealing packaging machines are known. A packaging sheet is drawn from a supply and formed into a tube around the elongate products supplied in an evenly spaced manner extending longitudinally in the direction of transportation, the said sheet is sealed with a longitudinal sealing seam. Then, in a transverse sealing station transverse sealing seams are formed between the products and the tube is cut through in the middle of these transverse sealing seams. These bag forming, filling and sealing packaging machines operate in a more rational manner than the device described in WO 96/23711.
In the case of tampons a cord is provided hanging loose at one end. If the above-described bag forming, filling and sealing packaging machine were used to package tampons this cord could get into the longitudinal sealing seam, which would be undesirable. By reason of the long length of the tampons the packaging capacity of the machine would be relatively low.